Mercedes-Benz sees May sales still rising

The third largest premium automaker in the world has recorded another strong sales month in May, with double-digit gains, although the increases still seem insufficient to pass second placed Audi.

The Daimler division has been fighting to regain the top luxury position ever since it lost it to BMW and then second place to Audi in 2011, and the automaker this year has moved to almost completely refresh its line-up.

In May, Mercedes-Benz managed to post a 10.4% growth to a total of 134,031 cars, aided by a huge 30% increase in the world’s largest automotive market – China. For the first five years, the tally stands at 641,384 vehicles (+14%).

“We have set another sales record by achieving double-digit growth in May,” said Ola Källenius, the Mercedes chief of marketing and sales. “End of May we celebrated the international debut of the C-Class estate in Bremen – a vehicle that will particularly appeal to customers in Europe.”

On the other hand, world’s second largest premium automaker, Volkswagen AG’s Audi also managed a sensible increase in May, of 10.8% to deliveries of 152,000 units, and overall in the first five months the rival commands a 72,516-vehicle difference over Mercedes.

According to analysts and observers, Mercedes could surpass Audi in the second half of the year, as the new introductions take hold – the new generation of the best-selling C-Class and the new small crossover GLA.